Bond Service: Karnataka assigns 927 MBBS graduates, exempts 3,210

Bengaluru: A total of 927 MBBS graduates in Karnataka have been assigned one-year compulsory government medical service bond after completing their internships, while around 3,210 graduates have been exempted from the mandatory service due to a shortage of vacancies in government hospitals and health centres.

The decision has been taken by the Department of Health and Family Welfare for MBBS graduates who secured seats under the government quota in government and private medical colleges during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years and completed their internships in 2026.

The large number of exemptions comes amid a rise in the number of MBBS graduates passing out from medical colleges in the State, leaving the government with fewer vacancies to accommodate them under the compulsory service programme.

Also read- Rs 50 lakh penalty, 3 year govt service: Karnataka PG medical bond policy

Confirming this, an official told The Hindu, "Earlier, as the number of medical seats was fewer, the number of graduates passing out was also few. Now, the situation has changed. We have more graduates than the vacancies available to accommodate under compulsory rural service."

Under the compulsory service bond rules, the selected doctors must complete one year of government medical service. Those who leave their postings midway will face penalties. If a doctor remains absent for 30 days, he/she will not be allowed to rejoin the service and will instead have to pay a penalty of approximately Rs 15 lakh.

At the same time, the doctors are also required to register on the Mobile Based Real Time Attendance System from the date they report for duty. Their service completion certificates will be issued only after they fulfil the attendance requirements and successfully complete the one-year service period.

However, graduates who are obligated to a compulsory government medical service bond are not allowed to attend medico-legal cases.

In April 2026, the Karnataka High Court held that the medicos cannot be permitted to challenge the obligation of the service bond after completion of the entire course and after having availed the corresponding benefit of education at subsidised costs, which may not have been available to them, if they had not furnished the service bond.

It noted that MBBS students who agreed to compulsory service bonds at the time of admission cannot avoid their obligations after availing subsidised education and training, and such bonds cannot be treated as forced labour or exploitation. The Court also observed that there is no compulsion on a student to serve a bond, as they are free to pay the agreed fine under the bond.

Also read- Medicos cannot challenge bond service after availing subsidised MBBS education: Karnataka HC